Habitat seeks to buy 5 acres, build a community

Habitat for Humanity officials think buying five acres in Spencer Township from Lucas County will help them build a community in the area.

The county's real estate committee has recommended that the commissioners approve the sale of the land near Angola Road and Oak Terrace Boulevard, according to John Alexander, the county's chief of staff.

Dave Belknap, construction manager for Maumee Valley Habitat for Humanity, said the purchase in the western part of the county would allow for 14 houses to be built near a 19-house development the organization completed last year.

“It builds such a great community,” Mr. Belknap said. “You not only know your neighbor - you helped build their house.”

Habitat for Humanity builds houses for low-income families using corporate sponsorships and mostly volunteer labor. The people who own the houses have to put in between 300 and 500 hours of “sweat equity” into the house and can work on other Habitat houses, he said. Most of the houses cost $65,000 to build.

“This sale makes sense because of the prior parcels in that area that have been sold to Habitat,” said Mr. Alexander, a member of the county's real estate committee.

The real estate committee set some conditions for the sale, such as approval from the county engineer's office for a curb cut on Angola, approval of the project by the Spencer Township trustees, and completion of a survey.